‘I Love You Forever. Sorry.’

‘I Love You Forever. Sorry.’ - Those were the last words foreman K. Amarish received from his wife Tan Li Gin hours before she and their young son were found dead on a beach in Teluk Bahang on Penang island.

Amarish, 21, said he was not aware that the SMS had come in from Tan at 4pm on Wednesday until he got a call from his mother some three hours later that day.

“I was busy at work. It was only when my mother called at 7pm about them being missing that I saw my wife’s message,” he said.

A sinking feeling engulfed him when he could not get through to Tan.

“I suspected something bad had happened. So I asked to leave work early and went to search for them,” he said yesterday when met at his family’s house on the mainland, in Medan Kemuning near Jalan Raja Uda here, where the wake was held.

Tan, 21, who was 11 weeks’ pregnant with a second child, and Eonithin, three, were found washed ashore at the beach on the island at around 6.30pm on Wednesday.

The two were tied together with a pink raffia string in what seemed like a bid to keep them together in the water.

Amarish said he still found it hard to come to terms with their deaths.

“She was her usual self before that. She was a quiet person who kept things to herself.

“I don’t really know if she faced any issues. She seldom shared much with me as she did not like to trouble others,” he said.

The family remains baffled over her death.

Amarish added that they could not fulfil Tan’s wish to be an organ donor. As a drowning victim, her organs could not be harvested, according to doctors.

At the wake, Amarish and his twin brother Avinesh were seen placing a milk bottle, ice cream, soft drinks and sweets at the prayer altar. The offerings were Tan’s and her son’s favourite snacks.

“Maybe when they were alive, I was not able to provide well for them. I’m still doing my best to make them happy,” said Amarish as tears rolled down his cheeks.

His aunt Goh Lee Lee, 48, said Tan was a caring mother who loved children.

“That could be the reason why she tied her son to her, fearing that he could go missing.

“And she could have decided to bring her son along due to their strong bond,” she said.

The funeral procession will start at 10.30am tomorrow. Their bodies will be cremated at the Berapit Chinese Cemetery in Bukit Mertajam.

Meanwhile, Balik Pulau OCPD Supt Anuar Omar said a post-mortem showed no physical wounds on the bodies.

He said the case was still being classified as sudden deaths.

“We have taken statements from the family members. Even the deceased’s husband seemed perplexed by her action. We are still investigating,” he said.

Those with problems can call Befrienders at 04-281 5161 / 281 1108 in Penang or 03-7956 8145 or e-mail sam@befrienders.org.my.